Paleontologists

Most of us, from an early age have had an extreme
fascination of dinosaurs. Where did they come from? How were they like? And
where did they go? Ask any paleontologist these questions and I am sure he could
give you an answer. But paleontologists donít study only dinosaurs. Letís
take a look at what exactly is a paleontologist.

A paleontologist is a scientist who studies the fossils of
animals and plants from the past to learn what the earth was like and what kind
of animals and plants lived on the earth millions of years ago. Fossils
are the remnants or traces of organisms of a past geologic age, which are
embedded and preserved in the earth's crust.They are most often found in rocks that were once soil that has hardened
and become rock over time. There are two main subdivisions of the field of
paleontology, which are, vertebrate paleontology (the study of fossils of
animals with backbones) and invertebrate paleontology (the study of fossils of
animals without backbones). Many paleontologists travel around the world digging
up fossils and preserving them. Most paleontologists are hired by museums and
universities to teach the public or students about fossil preservation. Tasks,
which are involved with paleontology, is the actual digging up of the fossils,
the preservation of the fossils, the studying of the fossils and also giving
presentations. Paleontologists often work with other professions to gather
research. For example, a paleontologist might work with a DNA scientist to
identify what kind of organism the fossil came from.

What I liked about this career was it was extremely
interesting. I have always liked dinosaurs and I think the paleontologists who
work with dinosaurs are lucky. I also like the fact that you get to travel a
lot. I am a big fan of visiting other places and I think a career in which you
get to do that all the time is great. Most paleontologists get to be outdoors
and get to meet new people. This really appealed to me because I like jobs where
you get to be outdoors and meet new people. But the main thing about this
career, which interested me, was you get to do something for future generations.
With most jobs the employeesí work is lost and is not acknowledged but
paleontologists skeletons of organisms will be viewed for hundreds of years to
come

Paleontology is one of the few fields of science
in which beginners can make important contributions. There are not specific
paleontology subjects offered in most high schools but subjects such as
Geography, and Chemistry would come in good use.Some skills, which you would need to become a paleontologist,
are you must have an open mind, so new theories come be thought of. You must
also be curious and have a great imagination. Since paleontology can be a
difficult job, you must be patient. Education, which is needed to work in a
museum, is usually a masterís degree. A PhD is needed only in higher teaching.
Few universities offer the exact program of paleontology but most of the
information can be learned through subjects such as Geology. However, you must
have a thorough understanding of evolution and ecology. A strong background in
science is essential.

Most paleontologists work at digging up
dinosaurs. In fact 1 in 10 paleontologists have or are planning to help in the
discovery of a dinosaur. Many paleontologists travel to states such as Arizona
because researchers have concluded many species of dinosaurs and other wildlife
lived there millions of years ago. Most paleontologists do not stay in
university for an incredibly large amount of time. In fact A MS in paleontology
usually takes 2-3 years to complete and a PhD usually takes 4-6 years (if you
already have received a MS). Unfortunately the field of paleontology is growing
thin. There are fewer jobs for paleontologists than there were a few years ago.
Many paleontologists are being forced to work for oil companies and are helping
them find petroleum.

As I stated before, unfortunately paleontology is
becoming an obsolete profession. More and more paleontologists are finding it
difficult to find work. There are fewer paleontologists than ever before. I
think the two main reasons for the declining number of paleontologists is
because there just isnít an interest in fossils and types of rock formations
as there was before. I also think paleontologists are finding it difficult to
find work because most museums have an incredible amount of skeletons or
organisms and until new ones are discovered they do not want the same dinosaurs.
Over time I think the profession of paleontology will evolve just like the
dinosaurs, but instead of paleontologists looking for bones and fossils they
will work harder to clone a real life dinosaur.

As you can see the field of paleontology is very
interesting. Paleontologists keep making new discoveries each day. They show us
how human beings were not always the most powerful species. They give us answers
to the mysteries of the past. But many of us might wonder, what is the use of
learning about dinosaurs in the 21st century? I think the main reason
paleontologists are around is because they study how life was for the dinosaurs
and from this information they can conclude what is the future of all mankind.
We can only hope that the fate of paleontologists and paleontology does not have
the same fate as the dinosaurs.